Programs

At the intersection of economics, finance, and foreign policy, the GeoEconomics Center is a translation hub with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

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Featured Analysis

Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Econographics Jun 6, 2025

The search for safe assets

By Hung Tran

The deterioration of the US fiscal outlook has put international investors, especially foreign central banks, in a quandary. There is no good alternative to US Treasuries as safe reserve assets.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Econographics May 29, 2025

After partial relief, what’s next for Syria sanctions?

By Alex Zerden

Syria remains a high-risk jurisdiction due to years of conflict, endemic corruption, state institution collapse, narcotrafficking of captagon, insufficient anti-money laundering efforts, and inadequate financing of terrorism controls.
Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Sinographs Jun 2, 2025

Hong Kong highlights China’s policy of decoupling from US financial markets

By Jeremy Mark

The political benefits of an international financial center with Chinese characteristics will outweigh the pain that decoupling inflicts on China’s private sector.
China Economy & Business
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

What’s the Trump administration’s dollar strategy? It depends on who you ask.

By Alisha Chhangani

Within the White House, there appear to be competing and fractured views of the dollar’s role. This dissonance could result in harm to the currency’s long-term dominance.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Issue Brief Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

Japan is in a geopolitically challenging neighborhood and is witnessing the basic tenets of its foreign policy—from alignment with the United States to fostering a rules-based environment—come under unprecedented stress.
East Asia Economic Sanctions
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

New Atlanticist Jun 6, 2025

Even as courts step in, Trump still has plenty of tariff options. US trading partners should intensify negotiations.

By Brian Janovitz

Section 301 may entail more work for the White House, but it could provide a relatively straightforward pathway to broad-based tariffs.
Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

In-Depth Research

In the News Nov 15, 2024

Avoiding Entanglement: G20 Responses in a Taiwan Crisis report cited by the Wall Street Journal on how China would respond to trade restrictions from the West

Read the full article here
Brazil China
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Report Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.
Conflict Israel
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Report Oct 9, 2024

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

By Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center and Rhodium Group

The China Pathfinder project examines whether China’s economy is converging or diverging with the world’s leading open market economies.
China Digital Policy
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Issue Brief Sep 20, 2024

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

By Nicole Goldin

Policymakers, investors, and innovators must advance a new financial inclusion agenda designed for the global majority.
Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Report Sep 9, 2024

Sharing the post carbon economy means building a resilient EV supply chain

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman

In this report Sarah Bauerle Danzman advances the policy discussion by compiling trade, investment, and EV industrial policy data across the G20, and offers six recommendations to the G20 to build a resilient EV supply chain.
Brazil China
Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

Report Jun 7, 2024

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

By John E. Herbst, Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

Rebuilding the Ukrainian economy after Russia’s full-scale invasion will be a monumental task. Reconstruction can’t wait for peace and must be a well-coordinated, inclusive process.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2025

April, July, now August: Our expert guide to Trump’s latest tariff moves

By Atlantic Council experts

“Liberation Day” was nearly ninety days ago, and now the deadline for many nations to negotiate a trade deal and avoid US tariffs is extended to next month. Atlantic Council experts explain what’s behind the moving calendar.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy
Stablecoins

Fintech Frontlines

Jul 8, 2025

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

By Ashley Lannquist

Stablecoin usage is complex for consumers, and large-scale adoption could introduce new challenges for financial stability and regulatory oversight.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 7, 2025

Building BRICS

By Bart Piasecki

Fifteen years after its founding, BRICS has evolved into a formidable counterweight to Western dominance in global economic governance. Yet despite its growing influence, the bloc’s ability to translate bold rhetoric into concrete results remains uncertain.

Brazil China
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Content

In the News

Aug 25, 2021

Nilofar Sakhi speaks with The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, “What’s Next for Afghanistan Amid Taliban’s Rise and US Withdrawal?”

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Economy & Business

In the News

Aug 25, 2021

Samad quoted in Yahoo News on the Taliban’s recent takeover

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

Fast Thinking

Aug 24, 2021

FAST THINKING: A sanctioned Taliban now rules Afghanistan’s multibillion-dollar economy. How do we deal with that?

By Hagar Hajjar Chemali, Brian O’Toole

On this episode of Fast Thinking, Hagar Chemali and Brian O'Toole, both nonresident senior fellows with the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center, discuss what it means for the Taliban to be sanctioned as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) and how China and Russia may try to influence the situation on the ground.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

GeoTech Cues

Aug 24, 2021

The case for a financial digital asset framework for cryptocurrencies

By Matthew Goodman and Nikhil Raghuveera

Clear jurisdictional boundaries, legislation on core principles of financial digital assets from Congress, and a flexible regulatory policy are all crucial for the effective governance of digital assets.

Digital Currencies Financial Regulation

New Atlanticist

Aug 24, 2021

Could China become the Taliban’s new benefactor?

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Niels Graham

Beijing is eyeing major investments in Afghanistan—but it's up to the Taliban to ease its concerns about security.

Afghanistan China

In the News

Aug 23, 2021

Charai in The Hill: Refugees can be a step toward redemption for Afghanistan failures

By Atlantic Council

While the chaos of the sudden US withdrawal from Afghanistan has been unpopular, the United States can redeem itself by providing humanitarian assistance for all Afghans without exception, says Ahmed Charai.

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

Aug 23, 2021

They aren’t listed, but make no mistake: The UN has sanctions on the Taliban

By Brian O’Toole

As the militant group settles in to rule Afghanistan again, sanctions remain one of the only viable points of leverage for the international community. Here's what the UN's own rules say.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

In the News

Aug 23, 2021

Kamal Alam quoted in ummid: “Zalmay Khalilzad”: The man responsible for destruction raging across Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Economy & Business

In the News

Aug 23, 2021

Roberts quoted in The Independent on China’s ongoing crackdown on its tech and private enterprises

On August 23, Dexter Tiff Roberts was quoted in an article in The Independent that discussed Beijing’s recent crackdowns on China’s technology industries and the CCP’s intentions behind these actions. Roberts argues that “China’s top leadership believe they can rein in the excesses of big tech companies by calling a sudden halt of IPOs (making […]

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Aug 23, 2021

IMF delivers fiscal firepower

By Niels Graham and William Howlett

On August 23 the IMF released a historic $650 billion allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)

Inclusive Growth International Financial Institutions
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Experts

Fellow

Lisa C. Sawyer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Economy & Business

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jonathan Corrado

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Indo-Pacific Korea

Fellow

Rabah Arezki

Distinguished Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Africa Economy & Business

Fellow

Evi Fuelle

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Staff

Enrique Millán-Mejía

Senior Fellow, Economic Development

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Americas Colombia
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Events

Public Event Thu, July 10, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on the future of US-Africa trade and security

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT with President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau.  

North & West Africa Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense Trade and tariffs
Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

What comes next for transatlantic trade
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union